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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bulb — for light
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. net — after costs
  6. face — to point toward
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. club — a group
  10. kid — to tease
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. club — for dancing
  16. net — in sport
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. toast — bread
  20. club — for golf
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — government
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. net — for catching

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com